Self-Checkout Is Under Fire Across the Country. Is Theft Really the Reason?
The restrictions are often framed as a crime prevention measure. But the fine print points to a different motivation: adding union jobs.
Technology
A Journalism Tax Is a New Front in Australia's War on American Tech
A new bill would compel Meta, Google, and TikTok to pay for Australian journalism.
The Self-Driving Car Fight in Congress Isn't Really About Safety at All
Bootleggers, Baptists, and the fight over who gets to write America's self-driving car rules.
China Blocks Tech Acquisitions To Weaken America. The U.S. Shouldn't Follow Suit.
China ordered Meta to roll back its acquisition of AI startup Manus on Monday.
All New Cars Could Have Mandatory Surveillance Tech Unless Congress Stops This Mandate
Cars are already spying on drivers. A 2021 law requires manufacturers to install more tracking technology.
Andy Serkis: What Orwell Understood About Tyranny
Andy Serkis discusses the corrupting nature of power, what Animal Farm says about modern authoritarianism, and whether technology expands or diminishes human creativity.
A SCOTUS Case Exposes the Dangers of 2 Misguided Fourth Amendment Doctrines
"Geofence" searches illustrate the perilous combination of modern technology and deference to law enforcement.
SCOTUS Weighs 'Geofence Warrants' and the Future of Digital Privacy
The government wants access to millions of cell phone location histories. The Supreme Court will decide what the Fourth Amendment allows.
A New Age-Verification Bill Could Make You Show ID To Use a Computer or Smartphone
Plus: The war with Iran is raising condom prices, increased legal liability for chatbot advice could backfire, and more...
Kodak Invented This Film for World War II Spy Planes. Then It Became Art.
Aerochrome photography is a beautiful example of a warlike technology being turned toward peaceful ends.
This Big Tech Firm Wants To Reinstate the Draft
A look at Palantir’s bootlicking new manifesto.
Elon Musk's Mistaken Call for a 'Universal High Income'
AI will not create a jobless dystopia. Paying people a lot of money not to work would.
Photo: Ring Calls Off the Search Party
Following a backlash to its Super Bowl commercial, Ring owner Amazon announced that it was canceling a planned partnership with Flock Safety.
Keonne Rodriguez on Bitcoin, Privacy, and Going to Prison
"We thought we were on the right side of the law," the Samourai Wallet co-founder tells Reason.
Democrats and Republicans Both Want To Regulate AI. They Just Can't Agree on How.
As lawmakers of both major parties hustle to regulate their preferred villains, they're losing sight of the big picture. The possible gains to humanity from AI are enormous.
The Rise of the Information State
Jacob Siegel discusses how the internet reshaped political power, the rise of technocratic rule, and why information control keeps failing.
Bye-Bye, Bondi
Plus: pro-tech media sells to big tech, Trump's new tariffs, jobs numbers, and more...
NASA's Artemis Program Is a Monument to Government Waste. It Can Only Go Up From Here.
Man is finally getting closer to the moon—long delayed by NASA, red tape, and political meddling.
We Could Have Flying Cars by 2028
But only if politicians learn to focus on the boring basics of aviation policy.
FCC Bans Nearly All Wireless Routers Sold in the U.S.
The government says foreign-made routers pose a national security risk, but since basically all routers are made overseas, this amounts to a near-total ban.
Blame U.S. Regulations for China's Dominance in Rare-Earth Minerals
America once dominated the rare-earth market, but permitting requirements are holding the industry back.
Trump Just Released a Framework To Govern AI. Here Are 7 Key Takeaways.
The National AI Policy Framework is a return to the administration's pro-AI position.
Section 230's Legal Protections for Internet Speech Face New Challenge
This week, senators heard testimony over the foundation for modern online conversations.
Social Media Panic Lands Joseph Gordon-Levitt a U.N. Gig
The actor previously pushed to repeal Section 230. Now, he is taking his advocacy to the global stage.
Why Civilization Needs Better Manuals
Whole Earth Catalog creator Stewart Brand discusses maintaining complex systems, the importance of stewardship, and how technological optimism shapes the future.
Iran War Leaves Helium Supply Chains Up in the Air
About 30 percent of the world's helium supply depends on the Strait of Hormuz. Its closure means higher prices for tech manufacturing and advanced medical care.
Facing a Budget Squeeze, New Jersey Decides To Go After Big Tech
Gov. Mikie Sherrill called Big Tech worse than Big Tobacco before proposing measures to regulate social media platforms.
The Reading Method That Left Many Kids Behind
Balanced Literacy downplays structured phonics, where kids learn by memorizing letters' sounds. Is that why some are struggling to read?
The Joys of Data Centers: Debunking the Backlash Against the $7 Trillion AI Building Boom
Contrary to the claims of the not-in-my-backyard technophobes, all this growth comes with minimal environmental downsides.
Controversial Geofence Warrants Face Supreme Court Challenge
Technological innovations allow the authorities to see who has visited whole geographic areas.
Europe's Labor Rules Are Holding It Back
As the U.S. loosens regulations for workers, the E.U. takes the opposite approach.
Computer Scientists Caution Against Internet Age-Verification Mandates
An open letter warns of censorship, centralized power, and loss of privacy.
Trump Says Tech Companies Should Build Their Own Power Plants for AI Data Centers
The plan recognizes that public opinion is what's holding data centers back the most.
The Government Wants Your Posts Before It Grants You Papers
The Trump administration will start collecting social media account information on immigration forms.
Weekend With Bernie
Plus: U.S. Olympic hockey team wins the gold medal and Mexico kills cartel boss "El Mencho."
In Mamdani's War on Delivery Apps, New Yorkers Are the Collateral Damage
New York City's own past policies are to blame for much of the gig economy drama, which Mayor Mamdani will further exacerbate.
Trump's FTC Chairman Sends a Threatening Letter to Apple for Not Promoting Enough Conservative Media
Chairman Andrew Ferguson continues the Federal Trade Commission’s crusade against free speech with an official letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Ring Drops Controversial Partner After Super Bowl Ad Backlash
The move is a rare win for privacy, both for users and their neighbors.
Spain Wants To Ban Social Media for Kids. It Won't Work.
Australia’s experience shows what happens when governments play online parent
Ring's Lost Dog Finder Is a Potential Civil Liberties Nightmare
Search Party uses AI to detect lost pets, but some worry about the Ring program's potential use by law enforcement.
Can This AI Predict How You Will Die?
Delphi-2M was trained on the world's most comprehensive biomedical database with health information from over 400,000 people.
A 'Goldilocks' Effect for Online Teens? Moderate Social Media Users Fare Better Than Abstainers or Heavy Users
“Both abstinence and excessive use can be problematic,” researchers suggest.
No, AI Isn't Plotting Humanity's Downfall on Moltbook
Viral posts about devious chatbots on a robot Reddit haven't held up under scrutiny.
Superintelligent AI Is Not Coming To Kill You
If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies is an extreme proposal to effectively outlaw promising AI progress.
How Americans Are Fighting a British Censorship Invasion
A new bill in Wyoming aims to defend Americans against the U.K.’s online regulators.
Will AI Benefit Everyone?
A Soho Forum debate on artificial intelligence's potential to deliver widespread societal benefits
